Antarctica - the icy continent, the sixth continent has long remained unsupported on the cards.Its existence guessed at the beginning of our era.From then until the time when Antarctica was opened, it took more than ten centuries.The reason for this lies in the inaccessibility of extremely low temperatures, drifting ice, and the imperfection of technology.
Assumptions
to answer the question about what century discovered Antarctica, can be approached from different angles.In many sciences detection time of a phenomenon is the day when it was described.There is even an appropriate term "opening at the tip of the pen."If geography recognized this approach, today the textbooks would have looked different.Time when Antarctica was opened, would be considered Antiquity.Then, many thinkers have written about the likely existence of land situated south of the known world.
very name of the continent was first mentioned in the second century AD in the writings of the ancient Greek geographer Marina Tyre.Antarctica - means opposite the Arctic.On the far southern land wrote Aristotle, who thought it necessary to balance the existence of surplus land in the north.Versions of the hidden continent and held the famous astronomer Ptolemy antiquity.
attempts to answer the question: "In what century discovered Antarctica?" Could be different from the known to us today, was crowned with success if at least one of the attempts to reach the mysterious continent, carried out in the XVI-XVII centuries.One of the expedition led by Amerigo Vespucci.It is in the early sixteenth century, reached the island of South Georgia.Further ships will not sail due to unusually heavy frost.
Next famous attempt, which had a chance to change our idea of what century discovered Antarctica was made by James Cook.In 1773, the ship under his leadership for the first time in history crossed the Antarctic Circle.Cook pioneered several Arctic islands and pretty far along in the water six continents.However, the path was blocked by insurmountable ice.On the impossibility of such an obstacle to pass the traveler wrote later in his diary.It was only after about 50 years, this assumption is denied Russian sailors Thaddeus Bellingshausen and Mikhail Lazarev.
great geographical discoveries
famous voyage aboard the "Peace" and "East" began in mid-1819.Who led the expedition, the purpose of which was the discovery of Antarctica, Bellingshausen and Lazarev.Going south, sailors have met three of the island, later named group Marquis de Traverse.They reached the Earth Sandwich, Cook opened, and found that it is an archipelago.He was named the Sandwich Islands.January 16 (Old Style), 1820 ships have coped with the task that could not solve the James Cook.Soon they arrived at a fairly close distance to the coast of the icy continent, later called the Princess Martha Coast.Since the opening of the Antarctica Bellingshausen and Lazarev.The official date of the event - January 28 (old style) in 1820.
Another version
However, there is not so simple.Bellingshausen and Lazarev not landed on the continent.For this reason, not all researchers agree to assume the title number of the date when discovered Antarctica.In geography, as in any science, there is a set of rules.For example, a person is considered to be a pioneer, before the other foot on new land.In this case, "the heroes of history" are Norwegian sailors Kristensen and Borchgrevink.In the afternoon, when discovered Antarctica, it is 23 January 1895.However, supporters of this version a bit and the official date remains unchanged.
Mastering Time, when the icy continent began to slowly reveal their secrets, was the XX century.In 1911, an expedition Roald Amundsen.Among its achievements was the first in the history of a successful journey to the South Pole.Soon he reached the team and Robert Scott, who died tragically on the way back.
Middle Ages was the time of the industrial development of the icy continent.It began the most extensive study of Antarctica since 1956.It then reached the coast of the mainland, the first Soviet expedition headed by Mikhail Somov.Before this and subsequent research groups were set the task of equipment stations collect data on atmospheric phenomena and temperature conditions, the animal world, the continent, the influence of air masses moving from here, the climate in the lands located to the north.
International cooperation
In 1956, a study of Antarctica has not been regulated until the end.Final agreement on the international level was reached in early 1959, when a number of countries have signed "The Antarctic Treaty".He made the sixth continent a zone free from military activity.On its territory since that time prohibited bury toxic and radioactive waste.What has agreed to the country?Antarctica at that time, researchers have reached several powers, but there were those who just wanted to do so.Whatever it was, they both refused an indefinite period of territorial claims.Six Continents has become a place of international scientific cooperation, and remains so to this day.
Achievements
In the days of the Soviet Union on the territory of the icy continent has created several stations.During the most active scientific work round the number up to eight employees.They labored in the winter to 180 people.During the summer, the number of employees reached 450.
For all the time of the Soviet Antarctic Expedition (SAE) has been received a lot of important information about the continent.On the map the terrain appeared plains, mountains, bays and islands.We studied such phenomena as the aurora borealis and magnetic storms.Many researchers have paid attention to the influence of atmospheric phenomena and the icy continent at the weather in other areas of our planet.The achievements of Soviet scientists formed the basis of Russian scientific programs for the development of Antarctica.
Modernity
replaced SAE after the collapse of the Soviet Union came the Russian Antarctic Expedition.Every year in the harsh conditions of the icy continent sent investigators to continue the work of their predecessors.Today the number of major stations operating round is five.Most of the research activities carried out on their territory.In addition to them, at the disposal of the two polar seasonal field station.At the same time scientific research on the continent are engaged in more than two hundred Russian specialists.
Progress
six continents - not a resort.Extremely low temperatures and hurricane-force winds - that is famous for Antarctica.Ocean, its surrounding, very unfriendly.So here we are always sent people with good health and receptive mind, to withstand the heavy load, and make decisions in complex contingencies.On the other hand, these conditions leave their imprint on the technology used in the construction and equipment of the station.Fortunately, the current level of scientific progress allows the members of the expedition is less time to devote to keeping comfortable conditions of his stay in the harsh edge.As a result of the emergence of new technologies, tools and methods, researchers have the opportunity every year to expand the scope of their activities, and we learn more about the mysteries of the ice continent.
phenomenon
A good example of achievements is drilling ice near the station "Vostok".There at the end of the 50s of the last century has been determined the whereabouts of the lake.It is situated under a thick layer of ice is likely to exist in this form for several million years.The lake is named for the station "Vostok", can be a haven of microorganisms, never in contact with the terrestrial biosphere.
a result of drilling the surface ice of the reservoir was reached in 2012.Scientists have gained access to the extracted material.Analysis of the data is controversial research.DNA sequences were found a large number of microorganisms, but it is likely that some of them listed in the drilling process, and the other is the remains of extinct creatures.
study lake is of interest also because the methods used for this purpose, can be useful in the future.Scientists suggest that they will need during the development of the territory of the satellites of Jupiter (Callisto and Europa), the surface of which supposedly hides a similar education.
Anyway, the study of Lake Vostok in Antarctica and across a whole continues.Every day, scientists working in the harsh conditions of the icy continent of revealing his secrets.While they are many.You could even say that questions assumptions and mystical legends associated with the six continents, it is now higher than they were before the discovery of Antarctica.Hopefully, the irrepressible human mind will be able to find an explanation for at least part of puzzles offered to him by nature.
